that would require continued monitoring
PLA Strategy in a Taiwan Contingency
- Thread starter pugachev_diver
- Start date
FriedRiceNSpice
Major
What viable alternatives are there?
put military bases in japan
Hokkaido is a historical injustice due to its occupation in 1869. By all means it should be an autonomous republic of Russia populated by the Siberian Ainu. The Japanese who live there now should adapt to the Ainu language and practically, Russian.
Okinawa is also a historical injustice due to its occupation in 1879. It should be Liuqiu Yamato Autonomous Region of China.
The historical Japanese presence was restricted to Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku. Everything else is a result of Imperial Japanese expansion. In fact, even Kyushu may be a question, as there is evidence of historical Chinese presence in Kyushu.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
To deny the Americans any base of operations in the western pacific. Leave Japan unconquered and you risk endless harassment attacks launched from there.
Total conquest of the Japanese home islands also offer a possible off-ramp for both China and America to cease hostilities. Otherwise there is a much higher bar to end hostilities as it will be a much bigger climb down for America to take.
If America doesn’t want to stop, taking Japan will also effectively free up the bulk of PLA ground forces and a lot of its airforce for the European theatre, as Asia will move to a purely naval conflict until China builds sufficient critical mass to start taking the fight to Hawaii and then CONUS.
FriedRiceNSpice
Major
Even then, you wouldn't you still want to ensure Japan doesn't develop nukes, and to limit Japan from developing certain military capabilities?
You guys missed the ”smashing the infrastructure” part. If the main islands inhabitants developed something China doesn’t like, bomb it.
Yes, Ryukyu Kingdom must be restored.
What bases of operations when all the fuel depots, refineries, power stations, transformer stations, ports, airports, etc are smashed?
Occupying the main islands means a repeat of American’s mistake in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc, an incredible drain of PLA/PAP lives and resources.
China would be foolish to tie down so much of its military in an occupation of Japan. While America's air campaign against Iran is futile because Iran is connected to Russia and China through Central Asia and the Caspian and can be resupplied indefinitely - plus America is striking from a couple of carrier airwings and a few regional bases that are by now significantly (although not yet severely) degraded - that kind of campaign is perfectly viable against Japan.
Japan is an archipelago that would face the full, unrestricted might of the PLA from staging points throughout China. It is not connected to anyone and its sea lines can be cut entirely purely through the threat of hostile action against any ships that dock there. No commercial ship would dare go anywhere near Japan unless escorted by a naval flotilla, and we're already assuming that China has established sea and air control.
Japan can be strangled until it kneels and touches its forehead to the ground.
Current blockade in the Strait of Hormuz is almost similar to what the US Navy could pull off during a war over Taiwan. China would lose about 45% of its seaborne oil and be forced to switch to Russian oil. Right now is probably a good chance to test how reliable these alternative energy routes are and how effective alternatives such as clean energy are compared to oil.